Letters to the editor, 5/26

Sullivan, Ulster casinos best benefit to region

As the president and chief executive officer of Ellenville Regional Hospital, a member of the Rondout Valley Business Association and board member of numerous other boards, I think Gov. Andrew Cuomo should reconsider his position on the proposed plan to expand casino gaming in New York state, and to permit the construction and operation of at least two casinos in the Catskill/Hudson Valley region, or alternatively, placing Ulster and Sullivan counties in different regions.

We believe that the economic plight of both Ulster County and Sullivan County can be relieved, along with maximizing the potential revenue to the state of New York, by the establishment of a casino in each county. The proximity of these two counties to the population of New York City, with its 50 million annual visitors to our region, can produce more revenue than a single casino in either one of these two counties; something proven by the success of the clustering of casinos in Connecticut, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Las Vegas. Additionally, the existence of two casinos in the Catskill Region ensures the creation of a regional resort destination by providing choice to visitors to upstate New York and fostering competition among properties; always good for New Yorkers.

Both Ulster and Sullivan counties have separately backed gaming projects that will have an enormous positive economic impact and will bring back the upstate economy in the Catskills region. This will lead to economic prosperity for the entire state.

Steven L. Kelley

President and CEO of Ellenville Regional Hospital

Ellenville

Corporate taxes cause scandals, inequalities

As the editorial stated, the IRS scandal is "chilling," but it also should be instructive, ("Targeting of conservative groups 'chilling,' " May 14). There's plenty to learn from it, not the least of which being that we have an unaccountable federal bureaucracy to which we'd be crazy to turn over something so personal as our health care.

But something less discussed is the corruption that corporate taxation creates. The heart of (the) scandal was groups of people attempting to get their "profits" exempted from taxation. That's also a big reason for-profit corporations get involved in politics. Eliminating corporate taxes would eliminate a major source of corruption.

And why should corporations be taxed at all? Ultimately, their customers pay the taxes in higher prices. Hiding taxation from the payer is a politician's dream, plus the revenue stream to their campaign coffers corporate taxation creates. They also like the fact that they can collect taxes twice: First from the corporation, and then from the shareholders when the profits are distributed.

Eliminating corporate taxes would be fair, and what a boon to the economy it would be! Then tax dividends and capital gains from equities as normal income so Warren Buffett doesn't pay a lower rate than his secretary. What could be fairer than that?

Our Constitution begins with "We the People of the United States ... ." Lincoln called our government "of the people, by the people and for the people." The left says corporations aren't people, so why should they be paying for the people's government?

William Kriebel

Hopewell Junction

Unsafe carbon level gets ignored by news media

News that carbon in our atmosphere has risen to a level of 400 parts per million was reported along with other news last week.

Yet the only people I encountered who thought this information alarming were those already active in fighting climate change.

National Public Radio reported recently that fewer than half of Americans believe climate change is real, while 97 percent of scientists reportedly know it occurs from human activity.

Can't we agree it's alarming we have breached 400 parts per million, when the scientific consensus is that 350 ppm is the maximum for healthy human living?

Please consider making this news a lead story.

It should be headline news in every media outlet in the world, based on the urgency to take action.

A carbon tax that would go toward developing green energy production could divert the numbers back toward 350 ppm.

Jan Cox

Rhinebeck

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Letters to the editor, 5/26

As the president and chief executive officer of Ellenville Regional Hospital, a member of the Rondout Valley Business Association and board member of numerous other boards, I think Gov.